Fireboat dislodged from beach

KATI BEXLEY

Friday

Sep 25, 2009 at 10:03 AM

Tampa Fire Rescue's largest boat ran ashore on Vilano Beach late Wednesday, and crews worked Thursday to get it back on the water.

Bill Wade, Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman, said he and a crew of six were sailing the 69-foot vessel Patriot to Tampa from Canada, where it was being built for the last five years. They planned to dock at a St. Augustine marina for the night. But at about 11 p.m. they hit ground while navigating through the channel near Porpoise Point, Wade said.

"We like St. Augustine so much we decided to stay here," he said with a laugh.

Clearly on land, Wade said the boat's GPS unit showed that it was actually in the middle of the channel.

No one was injured, and the boat was not damaged when it grounded, said Joy Hill, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The tugboat Albert Pike pulled the Fire Rescue vessel off the shore about 1 p.m. Thursday.

Mark Gibbs, U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant commander, and several other Coast Guard officers oversaw the process, in part to ensure it did not impact the environment.

Wade said the boat is Tampa Fire Rescue's largest and can pump the same amount of water as 10 fire trucks.

It was built in Ontario, and the crew departed on Sept. 11 to bring it to Florida.

"If this is the worst thing that happens in its lifetime that's not too bad," Wade said.

Record reporter Chad Smith contributed to this report.

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